The present invention relates generally to a method of, and apparatus for, separating and winding pre-treated yarn, and more particularly to a method of, and apparatus for, dividing pre-treated tire cord fabric into a plurality of tapes, each tape having a plurality of warp cords and picks interlaced with the warp cords, and thereafter dividing each tape into independent warp cords which are free from the picks.
Tire cord such as that constituted of nylon, polyester, rayon, Aromatic polyamide, etc., is generally treated prior to being wound into packages for storage and shipping. Treatment of the tire cord involves subjecting it to an RFL (Resorcinol Formaldehyde Latex) dip, and heat-setting it under a desired tension to impart thereto selected characteristics and properties most suitable for use in pneumatic tires, namely in the carcass and/or breaker thereof.
Conventional treatment involves the advancement of one or a plurality of independent cords in parallel relation into an RFL bath and through an oven. The yarn ends or cords are associated with respective guides, pulleys and spools in the course of their advancement through the RFL bath and oven. The rate of advancement of the yarn ends or cords is usually no greater than 50 yards per minute in order to insure that they are stretched, RFL coated and heated for a period necessary to impart thereto desired characteristics and properties.
Since each yarn end or cord requires independent handling by independent guides, pulleys and spools, each being duplicated a number of times corresponding to the number of yarn ends or cords, the apparatus is inherently complex, expensive and inefficient. Moreover, since the individual ends or cords must be advanced through the RFL bath and oven prior to being wound into respective packages, the rate of advancement of the ends or cords is inherently a function of the coating, heating and drying time of the cords. Only by lengthening the oven can the rate of advancement of the ends of cords be increased. However, the length of the oven cannot be excessive without being too expensive and requiring too much space. Accordingly, from the standpoint of apparatus complexity, apparatus expense, apparatus efficiency and product production time, etc., conventional treating and winding apparatus and practices are undesirable.